Top Stories
Family Dollar likely headed for divorce from owner Dollar Tree. What does it mean for NC?
Va.-based Dollar Tree struggled to make merger with Family Dollar work after shutting down NC headquarters in 2018. Splitsville seems likely.
Changes to minimum pay, supplemental funding could help NC counties retain elections directors
Legislative agreement and action needed to fix problems with pay levels contributing to high turnover of NC county elections directors.
High turnover among NC elections directors linked to 25-year-old ‘vague’ statute
Turnover of county elections directors tied to “antiquated” law setting minimum pay, for which even small counties must foot the bill.
Keep up with what’s important
Keep up with all of our in-depth, investigative news and the public interest issues that matter most in North Carolina.
NC Connection:
Closing the News Gap
A special CPP research project on the news needs of rural North Carolinians
SPECIAL REPORTS
Low pay is driving the rapid loss of experienced NC county
elections directors. What makes the situation challenging,
and what policy changes could fix the problem.
Social services in NC may be in the hands of people
who don’t meet minimum qualifications.
Why and how it happens, and how other states avoid the problem.
How climate change affects North Carolina’s fisheries
and the people who rely on them for a living.
The importance of sexual assault nurse examiners
and the difficulty of locating them in North Carolina
Justice elusive for NC sexual assault survivors
Climate change is causing erratic weather events and altering
ecosystems in the forests of Western North Carolina’s mountains.
What these changes mean and the challenges
they pose for managing the forests.
How and why North Carolina counties decide to build
or expand jails, the costs of those decisions
and possible alternatives.
Inconsistency and inequity in child welfare policies across NC
Struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic in state’s prison system
Is one of North Carolina’s main systems
for housing those with mental illness failing?
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MORE STORIES
Labor force, location lure clothing retailer to Randolph Co. with more than 850 jobs
Randleman’s available workforce and interstate proximity help Randolph County, NC, to beat out SC for Ross Stores distribution center
Listening to public’s concerns about Mission Health under HCA
Affiliated Monitors plans six meetings across Western NC in June for public input and education about Mission Health.
Every region of NC facing affordable housing crisis, seeking solutions
Rural and urban communities in each part of NC describe affordable housing challenges, point to ideas that have worked in some places.
NC tourism going gangbusters, with state among top US destinations
Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, regional tourism organizations across North Carolina describe successful efforts to draw tourists.
Judge’s backing of AdventHealth over Mission Health for new Weaverville hospital keeps pressure on HCA
Potential loss of new hospital to AdventHealth comes as Mission Health faces lawsuits from workers, local governments, NC attorney general.
Burden of high prices behind bars in NC
Prison commissary prices soar in North Carolina, leaving incarcerated people and their families struggling.
Crime & Justice
NC communities have multiple strategies to stem youth violence
Addressing trauma is a universal factor in youth violence prevention, researcher says. NC communities point to many success stories.
Economy
Why Vietnam-based solar tech company picked Pitt County for first US manufacturing site
Boviet Solar Technology selects North Carolina site for manufacturing facility, points to ECU, workforce and infrastructure as factors.
Education
Yancey County Pride display sparks wider debate over book bans and LGBTQ representation in libraries
An LGBTQ Pride display became the center of controversy over book bans, resulting in a change in library leadership in Burnsville.
Environment
Can collaboration on NC national forests coexist with litigation?
Lawsuits divide groups that collaborated on the Pisgah-Nantahala Forest Plan, but plaintiffs say they just want the law followed.
Health
DHHS makes good on threat to revoke NC mountain wilderness therapy camp’s license
State found deficiencies at Trails Carolina near Lake Toxaway after a 12-year-old boy died. Camp’s plan of correction didn’t dissuade DHHS.
Politics & Government
NC runoff elections likely to be decided by small group of voters who show up
Runoff elections in NC will take place May 14, with a second primary in several statewide and local races, mostly to determine GOP nominees.